Tokyo, March 6 – Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has confirmed a bird flu outbreak at a poultry farm in Abira, Hokkaido. This marks the fourth case in the northern region this season and the 21st across the country.
The affected farm houses approximately 190,000 chickens. Local authorities were notified by the farm on Wednesday, with rapid tests that same day yielding positive results. Genetic confirmation followed on Thursday. To prevent further spread, all birds on the farm will be culled, incinerated, and buried.
Bird flu season in Japan typically spans from late autumn through spring. The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strain, often H5N1, primarily affects birds but can rarely infect mammals, including humans.
First detected in 1996, H5N1 has caused recurrent outbreaks in poultry worldwide. Since 2020, a specific clade has triggered unprecedented deaths in wild birds and farmed poultry across Africa, Asia, and Europe. It reached North America in 2021 and spread to Central and South America by 2022.
Human infections, though rare, are severe with a mortality rate exceeding 50% in cases reported since 2003, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Most human cases stem from close contact with infected birds or contaminated environments. Sustained human-to-human transmission has not been documented.
Health experts urge strict biosecurity measures in poultry farming and vigilance among those handling birds. Japan’s swift response underscores ongoing global efforts to contain this persistent threat to food security and public health.